6x6
by swirlpop
Summary: A complete bonanzafestspectacular with all the 6 lovely main characters paired up with each other. That's right - even the unusual pairings shall get their day in the spotlight. This could be very, very unfortunate. 30 little pieces in all! Status: 7/30
1. Vaan x Ashe

**A/N:**_  
Well well, here lies 30 ficlets containing our lovely group of Vaan, Penelo, Balthier, Fran, Basch, and Ashe - and I'll be pairing them up like a boss. I know what you're thinking: "But swirlpop! Say it isn't so! Goodness golly jeepers!"_

_But oh ho ho, that's right! You will be seeing some not-so-unusual pairings, and some rather unusual pairings. __ Some shall be filled with fluff; others, more subtle. __In a nutshell, everyone will get a turn with everyone. Twice. Those fickle bastards.  
_

_And as per usual, reviews & messages are always appreciated (and loveraepz'd by all of my penises). :3_

_Onwards, mateys!  
_

**

* * *

Vaan x Ashe.  
**-

As soon as the woman jumped off the edge of the walkway and into his arms, Vaan was smitten. That youthful tinge of infatuation made him pay no mind to the numerous soldiers chasing her and the incredulous sky pirates behind him. Time stopped in that instant, just for him.

He let out a slow breath; every inhalation she took seemed like the most precious bounty within his arms. Each bead and trinket on her shortened pants stole Vaan's attention like how he stole laden purses. All he could focus on were the heated beads of her perspiration gluing together with the slick sweat of his own body.

He was instantly and thoroughly enamored.

Only when she leaped out of his arms did he leap out of his sudden obsession; the hands of time creaked forward again, and he slammed back into reality's cruel vice.

But the soldiers advancing towards them alerted him that it was time to fight.

Seeing her graceful swordsmanship against the armored enemies was a downright hindrance to Vaan's own performance. Balthier and Fran were doing most of the work while Vaan tossed a few jabs of his dagger here and there. He missed every target.

After they finally defeated the soldiers, Vaan couldn't help wondering about the stranger's well-being. He ran up to her, anxious yet wholly prepared to catch her in his arms once more if need be. "You all right?" he questioned.

The woman turned to face him with an expression that was grateful, proud, and oddly regal. "Thank you."

Vaan cracked a lopsided, shy smile. "Um, I'm Vaan. And this is Balthier," he said while motioning behind him. "And-"

After hearing his name, the man not-so-subtly walked away from the scene, loathe to become mixed up with any of their dealings.

"Hey!"

Balthier stopped in his tracks and gave an exasperated sigh. At least he tried.

Vaan spun back around to look at the mysterious woman once again. "What's your name?"

She hesitated for a moment, warily regarding him with thin-pressed lips. "Amalia," she spoke.

"Amalia, huh?" He smiled at her, alight with boyish exuberance. "Nice to meet you."


	2. Vaan x Balthier

**Vaan x Balthier.  
**-

For the longest time, Vaan was under the impression that sky pirates always helped out other sky pirates. This was what happened, wasn't it? Looking out for your own? For example, Reks did for him, and he did for Reks. Didn't this care for your fellow brethren carry over into pirating?

Balthier, however, was the first one to correct the boy on his irrational thought. It made all the sense in the world to Vaan, and the denial of this idea by a sky pirate himself was crushing – to say the least.

"But Balthier," he protested, "We - I mean, y'know, sky pirates! Yeah, sky pirates, they should all stick together!" He pounded an enthusiastic fist on the table they were surrounding in the Cloudbourne Tavern. "All for one and one for all!"

Balthier snorted and leaned back into his chair, folding his arms against his chest as if he was the Marquis himself. "Although this notion may be in practice for you thieving Dalmascan lot, it is always a sky pirate for himself."

A simple sidelong glance from Fran, who was delicately sipping her Bhujerban Madhu, made him correct his sentiment in haste. "Well, a sky pirate and their partners, that is."

"Partners?" Vaan repeated in a tizzy of excitement, quickly pouncing on the plural term Balthier used. "Does this mean you'll let me be a part of your crew?"

Balthier rolled his eyes and stirred his drink with remarkable exasperation. "And here I was, thinking your skull couldn't become any thicker. It was a catchall statement, Vaan."

"Oh..."

Dejected, Vaan slumped forward and propped his elbows on the table, pouting while holding his head in his hands. At least Balthier didn't say a flat-out no.

The pirating duo paid no heed to Vaan's sulk, and they let the subject fall into a void of apathy. Fran sat in stoic patience as they waited for Basch to return, and Balthier was sizing up the patrons of the bar, seemingly calculating how much money they had on them. With both of them occupied, Vaan decided to cheer himself up - which was actually his own way of saying it was time to admire Balthier.

He stole a long glance at the lean figure, hoping that neither Fran nor Balthier would notice. No movement on their part convinced him that they weren't paying attention. He could only do what any sane young man would do - take further advantage of the opportunity.

Vaan took his sweet time dragging his gaze across the man. It was a sheer fact that Balthier was absolutely, entrancingly, devilishly handsome. Vaan couldn't help but let his reverence stay fast across the span of Balthier's hips, the ray of his chest, the flicks of his cuffs.

This was his idol.

Fran, on the other hand, noticed everything – and she knowingly met Vaan's eyes when he came out of his Balthier-driven trance. He was caught red-handed. _"Crap. Crap. Crap!" _A furious blush streaked across his sandblown cheeks, and he suddenly interested himself into finger-tracing small curlicues on the table in front of him.

Balthier, settling his attention back on his companions, perched his eyebrow at both the change in Vaan's behavior and the amused look Fran was giving the boy. He shot a curious glance between the two. "Telling secrets behind my back, are we?" he noted lightly.

Fran shifted her quiet amusement to her partner, who at times could be even more observational than she herself. In a voice a touch playful and a caress wise, she replied, "Secrets? No, there are no secrets here. I wouldn't say so at all."

"No secrets?" Balthier echoed. "I see. Then, since we're all such a trusting bunch, I suppose Vaan can indulge us as to why he's been looking at me with that ridiculous sappy face for all this time."

Vaan cleared his throat and looked at the door.

"So, uh. When's Basch getting back, guys?"

"_Guys_ indeed," quipped Balthier.


	3. Vaan x Basch

**Vaan x Basch.  
-**

After traveling with Basch all around Ivalice and back, Vaan figured that the fellow wasn't so bad. Despite originally thinking that the former captain was his brother's murderer and the most heinous traitor in all the land, he wasn't so bad.

...No, Basch wasn't bad. The guy was nice. Kind. Admirable, even. Admirable to the point where he was finally more than ok with sharing a room with the man. It presented the perfect opportunity to listen to Basch's stories without a hitch. Even though the tales weren't of his favorite sky-pirate genre, he loved hearing them nonetheless. They reminded him of the days and memories he held most dear: those with his brother, those with the glorious empire of Dalmasca.

At that moment however, he was just biding his time in the humble inn's room until Basch got back from the showers. Sleep was soon to claim him, and he wanted an epic tale to help push him into slumber's soothing embrace.

Vaan pushed back the sheer, gauze-like curtains in the windowsill and shoved the heavy windows open. He leaned out, and his face lit up with awe as he took in the sights and sounds of Balfonheim Port at night. Balfonheim at night was as gorgeous as it was in the day; the cerulean sky faded into smooth violet streaks, and the cheery whistles of the port changed into the hearty tunes of the tavern. The transformation was to something more sensual, more thick with the lust of plundering and loot and strange love. To Vaan, it was a work of priceless art that was too genius to be spirited away by even the most skilled pirate.

Balfonheim Port held all sorts of bits and baubles to satisfy Vaan's fickle attention span, but it was time to settle down and rest before setting off to Giruvegan in the morning. He walked away from the window and plopped down onto his bed, folding his arms behind his head. The bedside lamp bathed Vaan in an gentle luminescence; sleep would surely come if the room was as cozy as this. If he wanted to hear a story, Basch would have to return soon.

As soon as he completed the thought, the room door swung open. Basch had returned. The man meandered into the room, looking relaxed and ready to slip into a well-deserved rest. "Getting a head start to your sleep, eh Vaan?" Basch gave him a brief smile and pushed back the covers to his own bed, which was only a small gap away from Vaan's.

"Huh?" The boy looked down at himself through heavy-lidded eyes - he didn't even notice that he had crawled halfway between the sheets. "Oh, I guess so," he mumbled. "I was hoping to hear a story before I fell asleep, though..."

Basch chuckled and slipped underneath his covers in one fluid motion. "Who would have thought that you'd want to hear the fables of an old, useless Dalmascan soldier?"

"Basch. Please. You're far from useless. And they're good stories! Really!"

"They're nothing but silly remembrances - but if you truly like them that much, I have a few to tell."

Vaan grinned his approval and turned in the bed to face his companion. He saw Basch laying on his back to speak his tales, with one hand cradling the back of his head. As Basch spoke, the dulcet melodies drifting in through the window played a fine accompaniment to the warm tenor in his voice.

Basch's voice was the drug to elevate Vaan's senses. As the former soldier spoke, Vaan fell under a spell that made him more and more aware of the intimate nuances surrounding him. He caught a passing scent of thick Rozzarian incense winding a crème ribbon through the air. His ears had Basch's deep, lingering tones, as his touch had the smooth, light cotton of the sheet strewn across his limbs. One thing he especially enjoyed, was that the tea he had earlier was still coating his tongue with the rich taste of roasted cinnamon and spice.

His sight, however, had the best thing of all: Basch, radiating a soothing aura in room's velvet glow. Vaan smiled to himself as he saw Basch's pink-tinged lips part with the motion of storytelling.

Nothing had ever felt so much like home.

In a rather jarring and sudden move, he closed the narrow gap between their beds by reaching across to rest his arm on Basch's covers. The man didn't seem to notice.

Becoming bold, Vaan wiggled his hand underneath the cover and laced his fingers with the calloused digits he found there. Basch paused, only for a brief second, and then continued on with his narration, slightly at unease.

Vaan didn't care if the man took offense or not. As he floated down into the blissful spiral of sleep, he was only aware of one sole thing: Basch didn't let go.


	4. Vaan x Fran

**Vaan x Fran.  
-**

Vaan has never kissed anyone, has never laid with anyone, and has no idea what he's doing. He has never been in a seedy tavern bedroom, he has never seen a viera this close, and he never so much as dreamed of seeing one_ this_ intimately. Vaan certainly didn't peg Fran to be the seductive type, but maybe this was what happened when a viera got a good chunk of wine in them. And he definitely didn't think her hair would be white... everywhere.

Vaan is how a hume male should be in this position – gaping at every square inch of pure _woman_ in front of him. "Y-you're naked," he manages to sputter out.

"Do you like it?" Fran questions, with all amusement in her voice.

"Of course! I mean, well... you're naked. It's you! But naked!" He blinks stupidly. "Uhh..."

His face turns a deep shade of red and he buries his face in his hands – and he wonders why she even bothered with him in the first place.


	5. Vaan x Penelo

**Vaan x Penelo.  
**-

Penelo depended on him far too much.

She was a tough girl; he could see it whenever she'd give him a piece of her mind or tear into a pickpocket who chose the wrong purse to nab. What did she need Vaan for? He could barely scrape anything together to give her _or_ their gang of fellow orphans. She had no right to think of him as the de facto leader of their little family. Ok, sure, sure – Kytes, Bucco, and the rest of the them were all young. That was fine. Vaan didn't mind looking out for them every now and then.

Though, every time he and Penelo laid on their small cot in the small room their small change could afford, he would see her small outline in the small light coming in from the small window – and he would give her a small kiss. This was all he could give, and that was something she would never understand.


	6. Penelo x Fran

**Penelo x Fran.**  
-

Watching over the group, as they took what little slumber they could, was not one of Penelo's favorite tasks.

She had always feared herself too weak to be present in the thinnest of battles, let alone the thickest. Leaving this as a personal sentiment was impossible, for Fran would always notice her anxiety whenever she stayed back as a reserve.

"You must realize your utmost importance to us," were Fran's usual words. "If your healing spells and protective measures are not present, we shall perish." To further assuage the girl, she would lightly rest her hand on Penelo's delicate shoulder, awarding her with a physical touch rarely given. Fran's attempts at comfort were always met with half smiles and shrugs and _"I guess so"_s, but Penelo was never fully convinced of her usefulness.

Therefore, she had tried to convince Fran to take watch with her one night.

_"Will you please help me keep watch tonight, Fran? Please? Pretty please?"_

_Fran's left ear gave a delicate twitch, denoting a refusal. "You do not think yourself capable," she said in her requisite blunt manner. _

_"I-I, well," Penelo stuttered, "I suppose I could do it, but I don't know really know that much..."_

_"The mist is strong with you. Soon, you will learn." With nothing more to say, Fran pressed her palm into the small of Penelo's back and emanated a tendril of warmth that snuggled its way into the girl's body. _

_By now, Penelo knew that the rough tongue of human speech could never portray Fran's depth of emotion as well as mist could. What viera did not say with words, was said with actions. The girl closed her eyes as the warmth danced along lithe limb. It reached from the tip of her toes to the depths of her heart – yet still, the brand of peculiar affection was no refuge. She slumped her shoulders in resignation and subconsciously leaned closer towards the tall body next to her. "I hope you're right about that, Fran," she said with a sigh. _

As Penelo let the memory flash by, she realized that she had made a mistake in hoping Fran was right.

Fran was always right.


	7. Penelo x Ashe

**Penelo x Ashe.  
**-

Penelo bit her lip and stared at the filigreed doors before her.

Tall. Statuesque. Inlaid with the finest material that Dalmasca had to offer.

No wonder they were the doors to the Dynast Queen's personal chambers. They were just like her.

A small smile bloomed on Penelo's lips; the metaphor weaved through her thoughts and blossomed into affection. It felt nice to know her Queen well enough to form the comparison in the first place. After all, their little ragtag group of rebellion had been through hell and back as one. Frankly, not knowing Ashelia B'Nargin Dalmasca's nuances by now, would be downright rude.

And turning down the invitation to visit her at the palace, would also be downright rude.

Penelo was glad she was so polite.

She raised her hand to knock on the door; she was almost afraid to touch the door, just as she was almost afraid to touch her Queen – and just as she was about to make contact—

"You're early, Penelo," came a brisk voice from behind her. It was laced with regality, elegance, and a hint of unbridled strength.

She could never mistake that sound.

"Ashe!" she cried in surprise, twirling around to face her addresser. However, the sight of her prior companion dressed in the royal garb of her home country, made her flush from using such a casual name. "I mean, Your Majes—"

"Ashe is fine." A sparkle of laughter had now edged its way into the voice that Penelo held in such reverence. "Come, let us talk. You're the last one I've yet to see since we came back, except for Fran and Balthier. But of course, they're off… well, you know. Off _pirating._"

She brushed past the girl with ease, and burst through the doors that Penelo was too timid to touch.

"Apologies for coming up and startling you like that," she went on, fingers unlatching a golden bracelet upon her wrist. "An issue had come up, and I wanted to attend to it before you came. I didn't know you would come before the time I stated."

Penelo had a nagging feeling that she was a bit displeased; punctuality was one of the woman's favored qualities. "I-I'm sorry," she stammered out, but she was paying far more more attention to Ashe's room than Ashe's words. Every corner was brimming with graceful finesse and rich craftsmanship. In front - a majestic vanity, with mirrors spanning bright and wide. Left - a four-post bed, wrapped in smooth maple and blanketed in down. To the side - baubles for decoration, buzzing with proud whispers that boasted their wealth.

Penelo couldn't help but think the cliché phrase: this room was fit for a princess.

Ashe's room was a mind's magnet, but the most captivating part was the paneled french door settled in the back of the room. The transparent glass offered its view to Penelo, and she could see a sliver of paradise beyond it - an exquisite garden basking in the Dalamascan sun.

To be in that garden would be akin to a dream.

"Don't worry about it," Ashe said, cutting into Penelo's observational wonder. She tossed her bracelet onto the vanity; it landed amongst a scatter of other embellished jewelery. "We're already here, aren't we?" The woman glanced back at Penelo and offered her a cheery grin. "Now, let's go out into the garden. It's a gorgeous day, and I like to see my favorite citizens in the sunshine."

Penelo had the feeling she'd blush a thousand times by the end of the day. She looked down at the ground saturated with exotic tapestry, almost pleading with the rug to save her from her bashful ways. "Yes, your Majesty."

Following Ashe into the garden, she let out a small gasp as the panorama expanded into full view. The room's view was a meager offering of the garden's true fancy.

The garden seemed to reach out for miles; a stretch of smooth, sandblasted stone wound an eternal path through the flocks of lilac and rose. The landscaping was neat, precise – laid with the utmost care to preserve the garden's sanctity. Gladiolas edged the path in an array of pastels, rising tall as if trying to kiss the swell of the girls' cheeks. The kings of it all were rare trees, shading the flora of the expanse that they could see. Sunbeams tumbled through leaves and twisted and bobbed and weaved, all to drape an incandescent glow over all that roamed free.

It was beautiful.

Simply beautiful.

Ashe stared into the distance – something that she often did, Penelo acknowledged. The girl watched on in silence, idly noting the sun-kissed strands of hair that Ashe wore as her crown. It was pointless to offer any conversation at the moment, for Ashe would ignore it until she was ready to say what she wanted. After all, that was what happened whenever this curtain of glass clouded her stare.

It really _was_ nice to know her Queen so well, Penelo thought.

"Penelo," the woman said suddenly.

She walked forward to stand alongside her. "Yes?"

"We're both daughters of Dalmasca, aren't we?"

A bit taken aback by the blunt inquiry, she replied, "I suppose so, yes, but you much more so. You _are_ the Queen of—"

"—I have something for you."

Penelo blinked.

What could Ashe possibly want to give her? She hoped it wasn't an award or an accolade or so – there was no possible way she could accept. Vaan had mentioned some sort of ribbon of honor that Ashe gave him, but Penelo turned her nose at him for even bothering to take it. They all sacrificed for the peace of their nation, they fought for the peace of their nation, they bled for the peace of their nation. It was their duty; how could an award possibly come out of that?

"It's not an award," Ashe continued, almost as if reading her mind. "I wouldn't insult you with something as impersonal as an award."

Oh? Not something so impersonal as an award, like the one she gave Vaan? Penelo had to bite back a grin. She made a note to gloat to him later.

The woman angled to face her, and all thoughts of rough-and-tumble Vaan were replaced with the solace of Ashe's peacable smile. "It's something I want to give you. Personally. From me to you."

Penelo wasn't sure about who closed the gap between them, but the aristocratic hand now cupping her face told her that it didn't matter. Her breath hiccuped in her throat, and her heartbeat stumbled over itself in a flustered hurry. "Really?" she commented in a shaky voice. Gods, what a childish reaction. All those nights dreaming about being cool and collected around her Queen, and she still reacted this way? Pathetic.

"Did you think I would take back what I said?" Ashe said in an amused tone. She gently applied pressure against the girl's cheek to turn her face to the side. "Yes, really." Her thumb was a light touch underneath the curve of Penelo's lip, and she examined the top of Penelo's head with a scrutinizing eye. "Mm, it should fit," she muttered to herself, before letting out a stream of incomprehensible mumblings.

Penelo had to call upon every bit of willpower she had in order to not hyperventilate. Quietude was her ally as Ashe looked her over; wide-eyed awe was her friend. She looked at her out of the corner of her eye, curious about Ashe's doings – but she certainly wasn't in a rush for it to end.

"Yes, it'll most definitely fit," the queen spoke, finally finished with her rambling. She pulled out a fine-toothed hairpin from her hair – Penelo hadn't even noticed it, and she noticed everything about her. It seemed to be made out of a crème-colored ivory, and crested with prestige-soaked jade. "This is something," she said, emphasizing her words by shaking the hairpin, "that a very special woman gave me. I want to pass it on to you."

A blistering flush of red became Penelo's hue. "No, no!" she protested, waving her hands in vehement rejection. "I couldn't! If someone special gave that to you, then you have to keep it. I can't accept something like that!"

"Yes you can," Ashe plainly stated, leaning in closer. "Now stop fussing."

The edges of her hair skimmed Penelo's forehead, and her cool, gingery breath splayed across her ear. Penelo could have spontaneously combusted. As Ashe tucked the hairpin behind the curl of her ear, she asked, "Do you know why I'm giving this to you?"

Penelo averted her eyes. "Not at all," she said in a low, meek voice.

"Because the woman who gave this to me, told me that it looked far more beautiful on me than it did on her."

Ashe stepped back, smiling at the fixture now weaved into Penelo's flaxen shag of hair. She smoothed her fingers along the pin, and let the touch trail down to evaporate on Penelo's pulse. "I'm just doing the same."


End file.
